Our Gemara on amud aleph uses a distinctive Hebrew word to describe taking off a piece of land and granting it to another inheritor, “Mekamtzin”, which we can translate as snipping off. The word has a different connotation than other apparent synonyms, such as “chatoch”, to cut, or “lachalok” to divide.  The Maharal (Netzach Yisrael 5) explains that the word kometz, means to take a small part of a larger whole, which certainly applies to our Gemara. Also, the section taken from the Mincha offering is also a “kometz”, a small tribute out of the larger meal offering. 

The Aramaic word for grasshopper is Kamtza. Maharal says that the locust come in such large swarms, that in relation to such a giant whole, the single organism is a miniscule entity from the larger mass.  Taking this further, we know the famous story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza (Gittin 55b) who were considered the catalysts for the destruction of Yerushalayim.  

This is as there was a certain man whose friend was named Kamtza and whose enemy was named bar Kamtza. He once made a large feast and said to his servant: Go bring me my friend Kamtza. The servant went and mistakenly brought him his enemy bar Kamtza. A wealthy man in the 1st century CE sends his servant to invite his friend, Kamtza, to a party. However, the servant accidentally invites Bar Kamtza, the wealthy man's enemy. The host publicly embarrasses Bar Kamtza, ordering him to leave. Bar Kamtza tries to save face by offering to pay for the food, half the party, and then the entire party, but the host refuses each time. Humiliated, Bar Kamtza seeks revenge against the rabbis who didn't defend him. He tells the Roman Caesar that the Jews are planning a revolt against the Roman Empire, leading to retaliation from Rome.

Maharal says the Beis Hamikdash central purpose and power is unification.  Unification of God, the Jewish people and the world.  Quarrel and dissent is of course the opposite of unity, and the word Kamtza itself, represents the breaking off of the miniscule from the larger entity.  Jerusalem was destroyed by this small-mindedness and factionalism.  Maharal notes that the language of the Gemara implies that Kamtza and Bar Kamtza are both guilty. We understand that Bar Kamtza was an informant, that is evil, but what did Kamtza do? Maharal explains, there are some people who develop friendships not for intrinsic reasons, but to cut off and isolate others.  Thus, Kamtza’s friendship with the host was itself a cutting off from the whole, because even though his connection to the host was superficially about friendship, it was more to divide and make others feel excluded.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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